| Retirement as we understand in modern America is a | | | | taking a benefit during the earlier years. My |
| relatively recent phenomenon. It really began back in | | | | suggestion is that you should consider rethinking the |
| the 1930's during the Great Depression. Prior to that | | | | whole concept of retirement. If you are involved in |
| period for hundreds of years, the concept of | | | | work that you hate, than you really should retire as |
| retirement was virtually unheard of. People simply | | | | soon as possible. You probably should never have |
| worked until they died, or could work no more - they | | | | considered remaining in that line of work to begin |
| did not retire. | | | | with but that's a whole different issue. |
| During the Great Depression in this country, there | | | | If you are involved in work that you find joy in, than |
| were at times as many as 25 million people who | | | | why retire? If it is mandatory that you retire, and |
| were unemployed, and that's when America had a | | | | you do not control circumstances than you might |
| population approximately one half its current 300 | | | | consider becoming a consultant in the very industry |
| million. As President Franklin Roosevelt, a Harvard | | | | that you spent your career in. It is a quiet medical |
| educated patrician by birth, came up with the | | | | fact that people tend to die much more quickly when |
| concept of retirement. Since most of the jobs were | | | | retired than if they remain gainfully employed. This is |
| held by people with seniority, meaning they were | | | | especially true for people who give up their homes |
| older people, the Administration determined that if | | | | and leave the cities that they spent their lives in. |
| we could just get older people to retire, we could | | | | They go off to Florida or some other warm location |
| get younger people into the workforce. | | | | and leave their friends of many years behind. |
| The concept of Social Security was then introduced | | | | What they do not realize is that for many older |
| as a matter of law to get millions of older Americans | | | | people, the vast majority in fact it is very difficult to |
| out of the workforce and into retirement to open up | | | | make new friends. You actually may be the friendly |
| what limited jobs there were for younger workers. In | | | | type, but what happens is that older people tend to |
| the early 1930's when Social Security was introduced | | | | be involved with cliques, and these cliques can go on |
| there were approximately 13 workers for every | | | | for years. Now you move into a new town 2000 |
| person collecting benefits. The problem today is that | | | | miles away, and it is difficult to penetrate the already |
| there are only 3 people working for every 1 person | | | | formed cliques that are present. |
| collecting benefits. This is all you need to know to | | | | You just might consider putting off active retirement |
| understand why Social Security is in trouble, big | | | | as long as possible and continue to do what it is you |
| trouble that is. | | | | love. You will be far happier, and your soul and |
| Under Social Security people can begin to retire at | | | | pocketbook will reward you. Visit my Blog for other |
| age 62 plus. If you retire later than that, you receive | | | | important articles. |
| an increased benefit to compensate you for not | | | | |